A State Of Shock
by G. V. HornBeck
Summary: “You’re not dancing?” Katara softly inquired despite the loud music. Zuko subconsciously noted that she sounded much nicer when her voice didn’t seem to have the ability to eviscerate him. Zutara Week day 2-Zuko POV


**A State Of Shock**

7/9/08 (I need to write earlier in the day)

Normal words

"Talking"

_Thinking_

* * *

The heavy music sent an electric buzz through the crowd. Bodies bumped and rubbed against each other in time with rhythm, seeming almost hypnotized by it. The faster it moved, the faster they responded until everyone in the room was ensnared. That is, everyone but Zuko.

He had never liked any sort of dancing party, birthday or otherwise, and this 21-and-under club scene was no different. However Toph, the brute young girl, somehow twisted the idea of dragging him along to fit her need for revenge. He had only burnt her feet with water while cooking; she didn't to get so hot and bothered. But all the same, Zuko's friend had insisted that he would accompany her and her gang or he would never be forgiven. So, here he was in a badly air conditioned, loud club when he could have been at home reading or something. And to make it worse, the only entertaining thing to do was watch Toph and her friends. Or at least try to watch them. His traitorous eyes kept wandering to one of the girls in particular.

_Katara._

Honestly, she was the last person he would like to be caught staring at, what with her overprotective brother dancing not five feet from her and the fact that she seemed to hate his guts. First impressions are everything and his had been full of misunderstood words, sharp tongues, and scowling faces. Yet, despite all of that, he couldn't stop gaping at her.

Why? Who knew, but he was.

She unknowingly attracted him like she was the south end of a magnet and he was the north. _My gaze! She-she only attracts my gaze. _It wasn't that she danced like the other girls, twisting and twirling her body like a snake's; she was much too modest for that. In fact, her dancing could be described as nothing more than jumping up and down in rhythm, yet she still drew people's attention like an electromagnet. Perhaps it was the way her face lit when a song she enjoyed came on, or how the sweat that clung to her skin made her shine in the dark club, or how her hair fluttered around her face and-

_Stop! Look at the bald kid. Just look at the bald kid!_

But as soon as Zuko let himself relax, he found his eyes watching her again. She stumbled in mid-twirl and when she looked up laughing, her gaze trapped his. Her deep blue eyes caused an electric chill to run down Zuko's spine, stopping his breath for a mere moment. Confusion flickered on her face as she righted herself and tentatively started towards the young man. In a mild panic, Zuko attempted to subtly change his disposition back to that of boredom and moved his attention to another group.

"You're not dancing?" Katara softly inquired despite the loud music. Zuko subconsciously noted that she sounded much nicer when her voice didn't seem to have the ability to eviscerate him.

"Obviously," Zuko drawled, fighting to seem indifferent.

"What I meant was _why_ are you not dancing?" Katara stipulated, _not_ softly.

_Ah, there's that good old anger. _Risking a glance, Zuko saw that annoyance was beginning to crease her pretty features. _Features! _Just _features._ "Because."

"Because is not an answer!" Katara growled, sounding every bit like the mother figure she played in her small group.

Wishing to at least placate her rage a little, Zuko gave her a few of the reasons why he did not dance. "Fine. You jump around for no reason, and you get people's sweat and hair on you, and you have strange girls rubbing up against you cooing, and-"

"I bet you can't dance," Katara interrupted, suddenly looking mischievous.

"I can too dance!" Zuko retorted, indignant. He turned to face her completely and scowled up at her now smirking face.

"Oh, really now? Then let's see," Katara purred, reaching down to pull him up.

"Ok! I can't dance," Zuko falsely admitted, shrinking away from her touch. He could dance fine, but he would say anything to get those intense blue eyes off of him.

"Seriously?" she chuckled. "Why not? It's easy."

"Easy for you, hard for me," he grumbled, turning away once more.

Suddenly, before he could register what was happening, Zuko found himself being pulled towards the dancers with Katara's hand around his wrist. Rapidly, every nerve in that small section of his body seemed to short circuit and light before setting the rest of his body aflame. Katara dragged him to the edge of their group, and then turned and grabbed Zuko's other arm.

"Look, you just have to move your body in time with the music," she said as she began to switch her weight from one foot to another with the beat, moving his arms with her. "See? Easy."

Cautiously, Zuko followed her movements, trying to seem as inexperienced as she thought he was. He wanted to keep her hands so deliciously near his. It was electrifying to have them so close; to be so close to her, moving together in the mass of bodies and heat, and before long he was jumping and dancing with as much enthusiasm as Katara.

"Goodness," Katara gasped in a brief intermission between songs. "Are you sure you've never danced before? Because you're really good."

"Yeah, well I guess I'm just a fast learner," Zuko chuckled nervously. Giving Katara a small smile he continued, "It was nice learning how to dance."

Beside him, Toph scoffed, her face set in an impish grin. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what you found nice."

* * *

**A.N. **FIN! I really can't get these done before 12 o'clock can I? Off by 7 minuets. Awol. My second oneshot for Zutara Week. I'm still not sure if I should make just one group of them, or post them separately. Only time will tell.

I love this whole Zutara Week thing. It's so fun being a part of suck a big thing with so many people. It's like, "We are Zutarians. Hear us roar. We may not be cannon YET, but just you wait. Just you wait." XD Much fun. But I'm going to be sad when Avatar is over. What will I do!?

Awol. Please review and tell me what you like, dislike, and what I did wrong. (nicely please! OO O-O OO)


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